A New Beginning
by Norma Louise
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin and Belle leave Storybrook. Together. Rumbelle fluff, Mentions of CaptainSwan and Outlaw Queen.


He had been thinking about it ever since their wedding. He liked his antique shop, he liked the town, and it was nice to be able to visit Bae's grave, but, maybe he had been spending to long time in Storybrook. The town held such bad memories for him, it was in this town his son had died, it was in this town Belle had been shot, it was in this town Zelena had been holding him prisoner.

Here he was, sitting at his kitchen table, wondering how he should tell Belle that he wanted to leave Storybrook. By what he knew, Belle was very much happy about living in Storybrook. She had her job at the library, her father and her friends, and Rumple doubted that she wanted to leave the town. After all, the town also held good memories for both of them. It was here she had walked into his shop for the first time; it was here she had remembered him when the curse was broken, and it was here they got married. She is happy here, he thought, I am selfish for wanting to ask her to leave her life here behind. But still the urge to move on and start a whole new life with Belle gnawed in the pit of his stomach, so he decided to just ask how she would feel about leaving Storybrook.

He didn't have to wait long about asking her, for just that moment, the bedroom door opened, and Belle appeared at the door, wearing her nightgown, with rumpled hair, looking so beautiful his heart melted by the sight of her.

,,Good morning," she said, bending down to kiss his cheek.

,,Good morning," he replied, tugging lightly at her tangled hair.

,,I woke up and you were gone. Is everything allright?"

,,Yes, everything is fine." He said, smiling reassuring.

Belle started to rummage in the kitchen to make tea and make toast, and while she moved around in the kitchen, Rumpelstiltskin watched her silently, and felt his heart burst with happiness. God, she was beautiful, his Belle, his true love, no matter what he thought, they belonged together. And by the mere thought of that, he started to feel confident, and decided to simply tell her how he felt. He waited until she was done making breakfast and tea and sat down beside him.

,,You are awfully quiet this morning, are you sure, everything is okay?" she asked, eying him concerned.

,,No… I mean.. Yes. Actually there is something I have wanted to talk to you about something for some time now."

,,I knew there was something. What's wrong, Rumple?" Is it your nightmares about Baelfire?" she said gently, putting her hand over his.

,,No, it's not about that,"

,,Then what is it?"

It's.. I…" he struggled to get the words out, and Belle just waited patiently. ,,I want to leave Storybrook!" he finally bursted out. ,,I have been thinking about it since the wedding, I can't live in the same town where my son is buried, there's been so many bad things happening to us in this town! You got shot, you lost your memories, I died in front of you, all those terrible things with Pan and Zelena, me being her puppet and doing horrible things to you and…"

,,Shh!" Belle interrupted, pressing her finger to his lips. Rumpelstiltskin waited and took a deep breath.

,,I have been thinking about it too, Rumple. And I want to leave Storybrook too."

,,But your job, your friends and your dad…"

,,Let me finish," she said with a smile. ,,I don't feel the same for this town as I did earlier, so many things have been happening to us here, you're right. I have lost you so many times while I have been living in this town, I know I said I have been spending my life finding you, but I don't want to keep finding you anymore, I just want to _be_ with you. Live my life with you as your wife. A new beginning for us."

,,Oh, sweetheart…" was everything Rumple could say. He got on his feet, snatching Belle from her chair, knocking it over in the process, and spun her around. ,,Do you mean it? You really want to leave Storybrook with me?"

,,Of course I will. I will go anywhere with you, as long as we're together."

,,My darling Belle," he pulled her closer, kissing her deeply, and with a snap of his finger, they suddenly was in the bedroom. Belle giggled, when he pushed her on the bed, gently laying on top of her, and while the sun rised outside, they thought of nothing but each other for quite some time.

,,when are we leaving?" asked Belle much later, when the sun was high on the sky.

,,whenever you like, just say the word."

,,Tonight?"

,,If that's what you want."

,,it is."

,,Then we are leaving tonight." He said, smiling brightly at her.

,,And where are we exactly going?"

,,Well," he said, stretching completely out in the bed. ,,How would you feel about seeing the glorious city called "New York""?

,,I would love to," she said laying her head on his stomach. ,,I can't wait to just be the two of us, without any Wicked Witches and crazy fathers,"

,,Not to mention the Charming's who comes running asking for help to this and that all the time," he said somewhat grumpily.

,,Rumple." She said admonishing

,,Allright, allright, I'll behave," he said, tickling her teasingly on the cheek.

At that moment Belle's stomach gave a loud growl.

,,Hungry?" asked Rumple amused.

,,Yeah," she said a bit embarrassed. ,,I didn't get any breakfast."

,,That's true, you didn't. Well, that's my fault, I apologize."

,,I was too busy to think about food," she reminded him.

,,I guess you were. Now, let's some food in you, shall we, Mrs. Gold?"

,,Can we go to Grannys?"

,,Do we really have to?"

,,Come on, Rumple, I want to go Grannys and say goodbye to everyone."

,,And who am I to deny my darling wife that?"

,,Excatly," she grinned, and got out of bed and started to get dress.

Rumpelstiltskin was quickly back in his clothes as well. The usual black suit and his red tie. Belle who was already dressed in a simple but beautiful blue dress, turned around to fix his tie.

,,There. Perfect." She said.

,,Thank you."

,,You're welcome," she said smiling lovingly at him.

,,Now, Grannys it is!" he announce with false enthusiasm, which made Belle roll her eyes at him. He snapped his fingers once again, and then they stood at the front door.

,,May I take your arm, Mrs. Gold?" he said, offering her his arm.

,,You certainly may, Mr. Gold." She took his arm, and then they walked the short distance to Grannys arm in arm.

All talk silenced for a moment when they came into the restaurant, but only for a brief second, and of course half of Storybrook was there. Emma, Henry, Snow and Charming with baby Neal, and Elsa, a somewhat distraught ice queen who had arrived in Storybrook to look for her lost sister. Hook, the pirate, sitting with them, holding Emma's hand. _It should have been my son_, Rumpelstiltskin thought for a moment, before shaking the thought of him. Emma was close to being his family because of her connection with his son, so of course he was happy she found love again.

He glanced over the café, Ruby was serving food, and there, in the corner was Regina sitting all by herself in the corner, staring blankly at her coffee. _It's about Robin_, he thought. _Robin's wife is back_. _Well, Regina has changed too,_ he thought, _maybe I can do something good for her as my last good deed here in Storybrook_. And while Belle ordered there food, he sat down at a table, closing his eyes, focusing on Regina's future. He saw her and Henry together, laughing, talking, Henry hugging her. Rumpelstiltskin frowned, concentrating deeper. He saw Regina again. But this time not when Henry, but with Robin, they walked hand in hand, looking adoringly at each other. _Oh!_ He thought, there was more in her future. So much more. Regina wearing a beautiful white dress and a veil, Regina and Robin with shining gold rings on their fingers, kissing each other at the church, every resident of Storybrook cheering at them. And the final thing he could see in Regina's future was Robin coming towards Regina, gently kissing her, putting his hands on her pregnant belly.

Rumpelstiltskin couldn't help but smile when Belle came with the food.

,,what are you smiling at?" said Belle curiously .

,,I have just seen the future," he said.

,,Oh? Our future?"

,,No, my dear. I never look into our future, it's much more exciting to just live it."

,,Who's future then?"

,,Regina's." he said, smiling even brighter.

,,She's going to find her happy ending?"

,,Indeed she will. She.." he said, gazing at Regina. ,,And Robin!"

Belle gasped. ,,Is it true? She and Robin will be together?"

,,Yes they will."

,,I'm so happy for her," said Belle.

,,Me too." said Rumple. And he truly meant it.

When they finished their dinner, the couple quickly returned home, and started to pack the house down. Even when magic it still took a while, the sun was almost gone when they finished.

,,There we go," said Rumple, and closed the car's luggage compartment. ,,All done!" he snapped his fingers once again, and the bigger furniture disappeared.

,,Where did it go?" asked Belle.

,,To New York."

,,Do we even have an apartment?"

,,well.." he said, closing his eyes and circling his fingers in the air for a moment, ,,Now we do!"

,,You are impossible," said Belle with a fond smile.

,,I know. And now, off to Grannys to bid everyone our farewell."

They got into the car and drove over to Grannys. Of course everyone was still there when they got in.

,,Twice in one day, Gold? That's gotta be a record." Said Emma when she saw Rumpelstiltskin and Belle.

,,We are not here to eat," said Belle softly. ,,we are here to say goodbye."

,,We are leaving Storybrook." Said Rumplestiltskin.

,,Have you been living under a rock for the past few weeks? There is a curse at end of the town line. If you leave you can't ever come back." Said Regina like they were out of their minds.

,,We know. Hence the goodbye part." Said Rumple.

,,You're leaving for good?" Said Snow shocked.

,,Yeah, we are." Said Belle with a small smile. ,,we have decided that we want a new, fresh start as a married couple."

,,Where are you going then?" asked David.

,,To New York," said Gold. ,,my son often talked about that city," he said, speaking to Emma.

,,Yeah, he did," she agreed.

,,Alas, my first impression of the city wasn't a success, being stabbed by an angry pirate and that." He said, narrowing his eyes while looking at Hook, who just rolled his eyes at him.

,,When are you leaving?" asked Snow

,,In a few moments," said Belle, ,,we just wanted to say goodbye."

,,Well, we will wave you off then, said David with a grin, and then they all got up and walked Belle and Rumpelstiltskin to their car. And while Belle said goodbye to the fairies, Gold waved Emma over to him.

,,Can't believe you're leaving Storybrook after all this time," she said.

,,Well, everything must come to an end, miss Swan. My time in Storybrook is over. It's time I step down and relax."

,,suppose it is. You've had a rough year."

He nodded in agreement. ,,perhaps you will tell my grandson that I'm gonna miss him?"

,,'Course I will." She said.

,,And one more thing miss Swan, I know that you and the pirate are… involved, but perhaps you will leave a flower on Baelfires grave, and tell him, that his old dad thinks of him every day."

Emma's expression became soft. ,,Of course I will, Mr. Gold. Of course. I loved him too, you know."

,,I know you did, miss Swan. And I can't tell you how grateful I am that he found you. And even if you're happiness was short, it was real, to you, and to him."

Emma nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.

,,Now," Rumpelstiltskin cleared his throat. ,,Where are you hiding Regina?"

,,She's over there," said Emma and pointed to the furthest corner of the town square where Regina stood, still lost in her own thoughts.

,,I really screwed things up for her and Robin," Emma sighted. ,,I didn't mean too,"

,,We all make mistakes, miss Swan," said Rumple, walking towards Regina, ,,oh, and by the way, tell Elsa that she will find her sister," he said to Emma, who's jaw dropped.

Chuckling to himself he made his way to Regina who finally looked up. ,,Well, your majesty, all things must come to an end. It has been good though, hasn't it? Our partnership?"

,,I couldn't think of a better partner in crime than you," said Regina with a bittersweet smile.

,,I understand your mind is troubled about a certain young man called Robin Hood?"

,,If you are here to gloat…"

,,I am not here to gloat, your Majesty. Do you love him?

,,What kind of question is that?! I don't have to answer that!"

,,Regina.." Rumple said, using her first name for the first time in hundredths of years. ,,Do you love him?"

Regina was silent for a moment, clearly fighting back tears. ,,I do," she admitted quietly. ,,More than I have ever loved anyone."

Rumpelstiltskin then leaned forward, whispering in her ear what he had seen in her future.

Regina's jaw dropped, and she stared at Rumpelstiltskin in a long time before she said; ,,is that.. The truth? Is that really what you have seen in my future?"

,,It is. You and Robin have a wonderful future ahead of you."

,,What about Marian?"

,,Oh, I wouldn't worry about her if I were you dearie, she will come across a handsome, young man called.. Will Scarlett."

,,Thank you, Rumpelstiltskin. For telling me."

,,it was my pleasure." He took Regina's hand in his for a moment, and squeezed it gently. ,,Goodbye, Regina."

,,Goodbye, Rumpelstiltskin. I hope you and Belle will have a wonderful life," and then she did something she never thought she would ever do, she quickly leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on Rumpelstiltskin's cheek.

,,now there is a first," said Rumple. ,,kissed by the queen! Save that for Robin, will you?"

Regina smiled as Rumple towards his car. Belle was already waiting by the door. Rumpelstiltskin quickly opened the door for her, and sat behind the wheel. He gently touched Belle's cheek. ,,Ready, sweetheart?"

,,Ready." She said with a content smile.

And then, while the residents of Storybrook waved goodbye, Rumpelstiltskin and Belle drove off towards their new life.

If was only then, Regina looked at the note Rumpelstiltskin had pressed into her hand. There was only four words written on it: I am the author.

,,Oh that bastard!" Regina mumbled to herself, with a sudden urge to smash her head against the wall. Of course it was Rumpelstiltskin who had written the book. It couldn't be anybody else….


End file.
